Precious Victims: Penguin True Crime

The police in Jersey County, Illinois, accepted Paula Sims' story of a masked kidnapper who snatched her baby girl, Lorelei, from her bassinet. Three years later, her second newborn daughter suffered an identical fate - and this time the police were unable to stop searching until they had discovered the whole horrifying truth. This is the full terrifying story of twisted sexuality and hate seething below the surface of a seemingly normal family and of the massive investigation and nerve-shattering trial that made the unthinkable a reality.

Presumed Guilty: Casey Anthony: The Inside Story

When Caylee Anthony was reported missing in Orlando, Florida, in July 2008, the public spent the next three years following the investigation and the eventual trial of her mother, Casey Anthony. On July 5, 2011, the case that captured headlines worldwide exploded when, against all odds, defense attorney Jose Baez delivered one of the biggest legal upsets in American history: a not-guilty verdict.

My Sweet Angel: The True Story of Lacey Spears, the Seemingly Perfect Mother Who Murdered Her Son in Cold Blood

Lacey Spears made international headlines in January 2015, when she was charged with the "depraved mind" murder of her five-year-old son, Garnett. Prosecutors alleged that the 27-year-old mother had poisoned him with high concentrations of salt through his stomach tube. To the outside world, Lacey had seemed like the perfect mother, regularly posting dramatic updates on her son's harrowing medical problems. But in reality, Lacey was a textbook case of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy.

Body Count

By day, Robert Lee Yates, Jr., was a respected father of five, a skilled helicopter pilot who served in Desert Storm and the National Guard, and a man no one suspected of a deadly hidden life. By night he prowled the streets where prostitutes gathered, gaining their trust before betraying them with a bullet to the head. On August 26, 1997, the decomposed bodies of two young women were discovered in Spokane, Washington. Within months, four more women were added to the mounting death toll.

Murder in the Family

On March 15th, 1987 police in Anchorage, Alaska arrived at a horrific scene of carnage. In a modest downtown apartment, they found Nancy Newman's brutally beaten corpse sprawled across her bed. In other rooms were the bodies of her eight-year-old daughter, Melissa, and her three-year-old, Angie, whose throat was slit from ear to ear. Both Nancy and Melissa had been sexually assaulted.

A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of the Columbine Tragedy

On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Over the course of minutes, they would kill 12 students and a teacher and wound 24 others before taking their own lives. For the last 16 years, Sue Klebold, Dylan's mother, has lived with the indescribable grief and shame of that day. How could her child, the promising young man she had loved and raised, be responsible for such horror?

Dead by Sunset: Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer?

Loni Ann, Cynthia, Lauren, Cheryl, and Sara seemed to have it all - beauty, wealth, children, and a husband who they believed to be this perfect man - Brad Cunningham. He was handsome, charismatic, and mysterious. They adored him and tried to give him all he wanted. But he wanted everything: sex, money, and it seemed, their very lives. How long would it take before he finally got what he deserved?

Conviction: The Untold Story of Putting Jodi Arias Behind Bars

Juan Martinez, the fiery prosecutor who convicted notorious murderess Jodi Arias for the disturbing killing of Travis Alexander, speaks for the first time about the shocking investigation and sensational trial that captivated the nation. Through two trials, America watched with bated breath as Juan Martinez fought relentlessly to convict Jodi Arias of murder one for viciously stabbing her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, to death.

The Misbegotten Son

An account of the crimes of Arthur Shawcross describes how the paroled child killer shot, stabbed, suffocated, and strangled 16 Rochester, New York, prostitutes and examines how the legal system failed his victims.

Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony

It was the trial that stunned America, the verdict that shocked us all. On July 5, 2011, nearly three years after her initial arrest, Casey Anthony walked away, virtually scot-free, from one of the most sensational murder trials of all time. She'd been accused of killing her daughter, Caylee, but the trial only left behind more questions: Was she actually innocent? What really happened to Caylee? Was this what justice really looked like?

One Deadly Night

On September 28, 2000, former Indiana state trooper David Camm made a frantic call to his former colleagues in the state troopers office: He had just walked into his garage and found lying on the floor the bodies of his 35-year-old wife Kim and their two children Brad and Jill, ages seven and five. Three days later, things got worse when police arrested David Camm for the triple murder. Soon new stories started emerging about mistresses and violent bursts of temper.

Salt of the Earth

Joe Gere said he died on the afternoon his 12-year-old daughter Brenda disappeared. It was left to Brenda's mother Elaine to sustain her stricken family, search for her missing child, and pressure the authorities for justice. From the first minutes of the investigation, suspicion fell on Michael Kay Green, a steroid-abusing "Mr. Universe" hopeful, but there was no proof of a crime, leaving police and prosecutors stymied. Tips and sightings poured in as lawmen and volunteers combed the Cascades forest.

A Checklist for Murder: The True Story of Robert John Peernock

Robert Peernock appeared to have the ideal life; working as a pyrotechnics engineer and computer expert and coming home to his wife and daughter, he projected the American dream. Even when he and his wife separated, it seemed amicable, just a small bump for the well-to-do family. But there was madness in his house: in private, Peernock was violent, subtly manipulative, and bordering on psychotic.

After killer Shelia Eddy pled guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison and Rachel Shoaf was sentenced to thirty years for second-degree murder, family, friends, investigators, and other key sources reveal the facts you would have learned if the case had gone to trial.

If I Can't Have You:: Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children

The tragic story of Susan Powell and her murdered boys, Charlie and Braden, is the only case that rivals the Jon Benet Ramsey saga in the annals of true crime. When the pretty, blonde Utah mother went missing in December of 2009 the media was swept up in the story - with lenses and microphones trained on Susan's husband, Josh. He said he had no idea what happened to his young wife, and that he and the boys had been camping in the middle of a snowstorm.

A Killer Among Us

On March 16, 1992, Elizabeth DeCaro, a 28 year-old mother of four, was found dead in her own home, murdered execution-style with two bullets to the head. Her husband, Rick, was immediately a suspect, having previously struck her "accidentally" with the family van after taking out a $100,000 life insurance policy on her. A Killer Among Us presents the true shocking story of Elizabeth's family and their search for justice against the man who continued to play father to the children whose mother he had killed.

Before He Wakes: A True Story of Money, Marriage, Sex and Murder

The true story of Barbara Stager, a devoted mother, loving wife, and dedicated church leader who committed an almost perfect crime. By all accounts, Stager seemed to lead the perfect life in her community in Durham, North Carolina. After her husband, popular high school coach Russ, died tragically, the police were inclined to believe her story - that she accidentally shot him. Suspicions rose when the police discovered that Stager's previous husband had died similarly 10 years prior.

Becky: The Heartbreaking Story of Becky Watts by Her Father Darren Galsworthy

This is the heartbreaking story of the murder of 16-year-old Bristol schoolgirl Becky Watts, a personal and heartfelt account of a crime that shocked the nation in a unique way and tore a family in two. A vulnerable and shy girl, Becky Watts was brutally murdered and dismembered by her own stepbrother on 19 February 2015. As her father, Darren, discovered the horrific details of what happened to his darling girl, his world fell apart.

Under Cover of the Night: A True Story of Sex, Greed, and Murder

Jocelyn Branham Earnest was found dead on the floor of her living room in Forest, Virginia. By her side was a gun and a suicide note-typed, lacking a signature, and with one fingerprint on it. A fingerprint apparently belonging to Jocelyn's estranged husband.Wesley Earnest was a respected high school administrator, poised to restart his life in a new community. Parents entrusted their children to his care and believed he was above reproach.

Missing Mom: A True Crime, True Family Story

This true story begins on a sunny morning in 2003, just before the Fourth of July, outside of Flint Michigan, when an 80-year-old grandmother has mysteriously disappeared from the face of the Earth. She was my mother. Three days after she disappeared, the charred remains of her new car were identified, after being completely destroyed by an intentional fire; but she was nowhere to be found.

The Evil Within

Throughout his time as a murder squad detective, Trevor Marriott has seen firsthand the wanton slayings and butcheries that have been committed by both men and women who have warped, depraved and sadistic minds. In this fascinating and chilling book, he examines the world's most notorious serial killers and the despicable crimes they committed.

The Psychopath Whisperer: The Science of Those Without Conscience

We know of psychopaths from chilling headlines and stories in the news and movies - from Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy, to Hannibal Lecter and Dexter Morgan. As Dr. Kent Kiehl shows, psychopaths can be identified by a checklist of symptoms that includes pathological lying; lack of empathy, guilt, and remorse; grandiose sense of self-worth; manipulation; and failure to accept one's actions. But why do psychopaths behave the way they do? Is it the result of their environment - how they were raised - or is there a genetic component to their lack of conscience?

Publisher's Summary

We, the Jury is the dramatic story of the seven jurors who convicted Scott Peterson of murdering his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner, despite a series of internal battles that brought the first major murder trial of the 21st century to the brink of a mistrial.

The Peterson jurors argued and disagreed but eventually bonded to seal the fate of the icy killer who dumped his victims into the bullet-gray waters of San Francisco Bay. The seven jurors of We, the Jury were seven average Americans who never imagined the horrors they would face or the phantoms that would haunt them after they convicted the enigmatic murderer and recommended that he be put to death.

This is the story of how the American jury system worked after being battered by critics for the way it functioned in the trials of O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson. Unlike the jurors in those trials, who second guessed themselves, the Peterson jurors do not question their decisions. It wasn't one thing that condemned Scott Peterson; it was everything.

I think this story is interesting, however the narration is read at such a high speed that you have to really concentrate to understand what is going on. There are long pauses between chapters and a great deal of repetition. I'm afraid these drawbacks spoilt my enjoyment of what could have been a good read.

Anyone who followed the trial on Court TV or in the media, hoping for some earth shattering information won't find it here.

The book jumps all over the place and does not follow the trial the way it happened. It is hard to follow even if you are well versed in the case. One minute they are talking about the verdict being read and then in the same chapter about jury selection.

Listeners will not learn anything new about Peterson or the jury members that hasn't been previously reported in the media. Don't waste your money on this one.

15 of 15 people found this review helpful

Yolanda

La Mirada, CA, USA

30/06/07

Overall

"get the video"

This book could have been a fascinating look into the process of jury deliberation. However, it was a disjointed mash of "everyone having their say". The narrator was quite poor in her pronunciation of common english words which was actually a welcome distraction from her droning monotone. I counted more that a dozen errors. The premise of the book was quite good, and if you can get past the repetition of facts and quotes maybe you will find it interesting.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

Brenda

Cleburne, TX, United States

24/10/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"change narrator"

This is a powerful and heartbreaking story. Having worked in the Judicial system for years, I had no problem in feeling for the jury, as well as, the victim's family, and for those of Scott's family who loved him dearly. However, the narrator was terrible. I nearly quit listening three times because of her dull monotone performance but the story kept me going.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Paula

Ft. Worth, TX

04/12/08

Overall

"Narrator-less"

The book itself was okay but the narrator was the worst I've ever heard. She had a total monotone throughout. But the part that caused me to write a review is her pronunciation. Or should I say lack of it. A few examples are:
...the word 'hyperbole'-she pronounced it "hy-per-bowl"...WRONG!!!
...Laci's maiden name was "Rocha"...the narrator pronounced it "Roh-ka".
...one time she'd pronound "Delucci" right and the next time she'd say "De-loo-key"
In addition, she didn't pronounce some words the same throughout...one time she'd pronounce a word one way and another time she'd do it differently.
It spoiled the book for me. I'm just an ordinary person, but it's not that hard to learn to speak correctly and pronounce words right...at least the victim's NAME!!!
I won't ever get another book with her as narrator. I feel like I wasted my money.

10 of 11 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

25/01/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Most bizarre recording... is the narrator a human?"

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

If the narrator had inflection in her voice.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The case is interesting/

How did the narrator detract from the book?

She seems to have a possibly computer generated voice. The pronunciation errors were hysterical which was kind of funny. The narrator ruins the listen/

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

The story is very sad. I watched the trial but it has been awhile.

Any additional comments?

I would advise people to spend their money on a different audible book or buy the book.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Eric

Easton, PA, USA

07/04/09

Overall

"good story, horribly read"

I was amazed at the poor narration of this title. The narrator frequently mispronounced words, and there were times that a line was read such that it should have gone to a "take two", but didn't. Not a big deal, but it was of a level of poor quality and shoddy work that I have never witnessed. But it fits, because the book is rather mediocre too.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Chris

Dorchester, Ontario, Canada

20/08/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Unfortunate account of history"

Would you listen to We, the Jury again? Why?

I enjoyed the story but hated the narrator chosen to tell this story. Spoke way to fast. Run on sentences or lack of pauses between sentences. Felt like the narrator only had so much digital space to tell the story.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Reserved Powers

Michigan, United States

28/04/10

Overall

"The narrator almost ruined the story."

I am sure that the book would be more enjoyable to read in print than this audio presentation. The narrator was unable to pronounce numerous words correctly. Do they not have someone with a college education who reviews these narratives and helps to correct pronunciation? I could forgive her slaughtering of "flotsam" and the relatively obscure Latin phrase "vox populi". But she could not even correctly pronounce Laci's maiden name of "Rocha". She gave the "ch" a hard "k" sound, and it was jarring every single one of the multiple times it is repeated. This name was all over the news for years. Could this narrator have double-checked with anyone about how Rocha is pronounced? She said this name over one-hundred times in the story when discussing Laci and her family. Then when she mispronounced "hyperbole" as "hy-per-bowl", that was the last straw!

Her constant mispronunciations were an enormous distraction. Some words were not only mispronounced, but misread. For example, in Chapter 9 she says "a death of evidence", when it clearly was supposed to be a "dearth" of evidence. This is a common phrase with which the average educated person should be familiar. My teenager could have done a better job reading this. It is rushed through as if it were a task to complete with little or no inflection or emotion.

The story itself is gripping and well-told by the original authors. If the narrator had been better, I would easily have given this five stars. It is a fascinating look into our justice system, and helped to reinstill some faith in the trial by jury system.

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

Primemama

05/04/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Oh crap! Who is who?!"

I enjoyed the personal stories thoughts and observations from the jurors in this story. Because I followed the case closely at the time, I could follow relatively well.

However, even with my knowledge of this case, bouncing back-and-forth between the jurors numbers, nicknames and real names, at times required much careful listening and/or re-listening to sections of this book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Kindle Customer

18/04/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Unbearable Narration"

Any additional comments?

The narrator is just awful She reads fast, with no tone influx. I cant bear listening to her! I want my credit back!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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